Here's another reason I voted for Hillary Clinton for President. Hillary isn't afraid to speak up for gay rights.

Senator Clinton doesn't hide behind her opinions on equal rights, and Hillary certainly wouldn't travel with a "reformed gay minister."

These are some tibits from an article in the Washington Blade:

Hillary defended her efforts at passing a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

“I believe that my position reflects the experience I had fighting against the Federal Marriage Amendment,” she said. “At the time, I was chair of the Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee and I worked hand-in-hand with [the Human Rights Campaign] and other members of the LGBT community to stop the amendment.

“We’d already seen the success the Republican majority had had in 2002, 2004 in using this as a wedge issue. I was able to explain to other senators that DOMA ensured marriage would be left to the states — that was critical in defeating the amendment. It gave us an argument with both Republicans and Democrats.”

On the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy enacted under her husband’s watch, Clinton pledged to work hard for a repeal as soon as possible.

“We have to get a coalition together that will support repealing that legislation that will give us the authority to do what I’ve been advocating, which is allowing people to serve based on their desire and commitment to service without regard to sexual orientation,” she said.

Clinton said Congress defied President Bill Clinton over the issue and approved the policy by veto-proof majorities in both houses, effectively tying his hands. Back in August, at the HRC-Logo presidential forum, she described “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as a “transitional” policy. She declined to elaborate when asked to clarify that remark given President Clinton’s failure to revisit the policy during his eight years in office.

Instead, she asserted that lifting the gay ban on military service has worked well for key allies like Great Britain and Israel.

“In the time that has passed since 1993, more and more distinguished military officers understand why we need to do this,” she said.

When asked if her support for gay rights measures would include forceful advocacy, she replied, “absolutely.”

“I took the lead in ensuring that partners who died on 9/11 were given benefits. I have been very strongly in support of the Domestic Partnership Benefits Act, so I continue to take a leadership role.”

Hillary also said she would become the first U.S. president to march in a Gay Pride parade and that she had not heard about former Vice President Al Gore’s recent video endorsement of same-sex marriage.

To read the complete interview click here.